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A review by kelly_e
All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Title: All My Rage
Author: Sabaa Tahir
Genre: Young Adult
Rating: 5.00
Pub Date: March 1, 2022
T H R E E • W O R D S
Powerful • Moving • Honest
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Lahore, Pakistan. Then.
Misbah is a dreamer and storyteller, newly married to Toufiq in an arranged match. After their young life is shaken by tragedy, they come to the United States and open the Cloud’s Rest Inn Motel, hoping for a new start.
Juniper, California. Now.
Salahudin and Noor are more than best friends; they are family. Growing up as outcasts in the small desert town of Juniper, California, they understand each other the way no one else does. Until The Fight, which destroys their bond with the swift fury of a star exploding.
Now, Sal scrambles to run the family motel as his mother Misbah’s health fails and his grieving father loses himself to alcoholism. Noor, meanwhile, walks a harrowing tightrope: working at her wrathful uncle’s liquor store while hiding the fact that she’s applying to college so she can escape him—and Juniper—forever.
When Sal’s attempts to save the motel spiral out of control, he and Noor must ask themselves what friendship is worth—and what it takes to defeat the monsters in their pasts and the ones in their midst.
💭 T H O U G H T S
I am very particular in selecting what young adult novels I choose to pick up, and will say it is not a genre I read often. One thing I can say for sure is that when I do I want something hard hitting and realistic with emotional depth. All My Rage 100% delivered on that. Since finishing, I cannot stop thinking about it.
Sabaa Tahir's writing is simply stunning! The narrative is highly readable, yet there is definitely no sugarcoating, and she handles many difficult topics with care and expertise. In fact, it reads almost like non-fiction because everything seemed so real. While there is so much pain, there is also so much hope. It's a genuine portrayal of the cost of the American dream, as well as, what people of colour continue to encounter on a daily basis.
Beyond the writing and tough stuff, there is a beautiful friendship and love story. Sal and Noor's is an authentic love story. Their development and character arcs were equally engaging. As a reader, I was right there alongside them. The theme of forgiveness is also very present - sometimes hard things are hard to forgive, and yet they must be in order to move forward. The audio narration is packed with another layer of emotion and really brought the whole thing to life.
All My Rage made me feel. It made me think. And it certainly made it's way into my heart and easily onto my 2023 favourites list. It's everything I am looking for in the young adult genre and one I would highly recommend to others. Sabaa Tahir has certainly emerged as a writer to watch.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• fans of Angie Thomas
• readers who like to feel all the feelings
• educators
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"Wondering how someone who filled up a room could fit into a box so small."
"Rage can fuel you. But grief gnaws at you slow, a termite nibbling at your soul until you're a whisper of what you used to be."
"The more you ask for,” she’d say, “the better. Because it means you’ve put your faith in something greater than yourself."
Author: Sabaa Tahir
Genre: Young Adult
Rating: 5.00
Pub Date: March 1, 2022
T H R E E • W O R D S
Powerful • Moving • Honest
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Lahore, Pakistan. Then.
Misbah is a dreamer and storyteller, newly married to Toufiq in an arranged match. After their young life is shaken by tragedy, they come to the United States and open the Cloud’s Rest Inn Motel, hoping for a new start.
Juniper, California. Now.
Salahudin and Noor are more than best friends; they are family. Growing up as outcasts in the small desert town of Juniper, California, they understand each other the way no one else does. Until The Fight, which destroys their bond with the swift fury of a star exploding.
Now, Sal scrambles to run the family motel as his mother Misbah’s health fails and his grieving father loses himself to alcoholism. Noor, meanwhile, walks a harrowing tightrope: working at her wrathful uncle’s liquor store while hiding the fact that she’s applying to college so she can escape him—and Juniper—forever.
When Sal’s attempts to save the motel spiral out of control, he and Noor must ask themselves what friendship is worth—and what it takes to defeat the monsters in their pasts and the ones in their midst.
💭 T H O U G H T S
I am very particular in selecting what young adult novels I choose to pick up, and will say it is not a genre I read often. One thing I can say for sure is that when I do I want something hard hitting and realistic with emotional depth. All My Rage 100% delivered on that. Since finishing, I cannot stop thinking about it.
Sabaa Tahir's writing is simply stunning! The narrative is highly readable, yet there is definitely no sugarcoating, and she handles many difficult topics with care and expertise. In fact, it reads almost like non-fiction because everything seemed so real. While there is so much pain, there is also so much hope. It's a genuine portrayal of the cost of the American dream, as well as, what people of colour continue to encounter on a daily basis.
Beyond the writing and tough stuff, there is a beautiful friendship and love story. Sal and Noor's is an authentic love story. Their development and character arcs were equally engaging. As a reader, I was right there alongside them. The theme of forgiveness is also very present - sometimes hard things are hard to forgive, and yet they must be in order to move forward. The audio narration is packed with another layer of emotion and really brought the whole thing to life.
All My Rage made me feel. It made me think. And it certainly made it's way into my heart and easily onto my 2023 favourites list. It's everything I am looking for in the young adult genre and one I would highly recommend to others. Sabaa Tahir has certainly emerged as a writer to watch.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• fans of Angie Thomas
• readers who like to feel all the feelings
• educators
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"Wondering how someone who filled up a room could fit into a box so small."
"Rage can fuel you. But grief gnaws at you slow, a termite nibbling at your soul until you're a whisper of what you used to be."
"The more you ask for,” she’d say, “the better. Because it means you’ve put your faith in something greater than yourself."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Xenophobia, Islamophobia, and Alcohol
Moderate: Bullying, Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Chronic illness, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Medical content, and Religious bigotry